Decision Making and Conflict Management

Steps involved in decision making

Before you beginning to plan on how you’re going to make a decision there will always by a reason as to why that decision has to be made. One can explain this problem as a question or as a solution. In our case study the problem as defined were standardization, process attention to every detail and uniform adherence according to the policy. So for one to come up with the right decision first you define the problem that is there. Defining means giving every single detail of the problem that is at hand. This is without excluding some for clear understanding.  Secondly is analyzing the problem. The tree principles that govern this point are futurity of the decision, impact it has, and the qualitative analysis.

Thirdly, is coming up with various alternative solutions. This enables you broaden your focus on the answer or decision of the problem. It also increases the chance of analyzing and coming up with the most appropriate choice of decision. After that there is a choice to be made for the best decision based on the problem requirement, most effective and efficient with other factors considered. After you have chosen a solution you implement it, do a follow up and provide feedback on its progress either for improvement or otherwise. (Dreu, 2008)

Conflicts available

When there is no agreement between two or among several parties, there will always arise a conflict. These conflicts a very natural. A wise man once said that the way a gentleman deals with conflict shows how mature and wise they are. In life, since way before, conflict was brought about by the revolution and change in the generations. This was from the greatest generation to the y generation also known as the millennial. Conflict that has with stood the test of time is between the millennial, the generation x and the boomers. Focusing on the case study we clearly distinguish and classify three groups according to these three generations. The first group is the boomers which are the eight. They do not have respect for the authority hence question them on every decision made.

The second group is the millennial who are the managers. The have a unique knowledge based on the revolution of technology. This is the group made of young people who are technologically savvy. They are the once credited with the ability to lead others. Lastly is the group that has good entrepreneurial thinking capacity. These are the people running the health care, that company that invested in the health care. The eight workers do not want to adhere to the new charting process. They claim to understand what is expected of them. The managers came up with this because they thought it could help raise the profits of the entire health care to achieve there desired goals. The investors on the other hand are left in turmoil. They do not know what to do after having invested that much and yet with the upcoming conflict they fear for the loss of their investment. (Kolbin, 2003)

Decision model

With reference to the case study the best way to come to a decision without provoking one another is sharing the idea with everyone in the entire care so as to gain different views on the matter. This will be by a great chance reduce the chances of a conflict. This is because when such a conflict arises among the parties involved in this case the managers the other sensibly way to go is involving all the other stake holders or parties that were not involved to come aboard. When a decision is passed even them they will accept it since they participated in coming up with it they backed it and may be in a fair election and implementing such is even easier.

Before making the move of involving other parties we can ensure that first the issues at hand are clearly outlined. One of the issues that might have raised the conflict in the case study was miss interpretation or missing information. Secondly, having acknowledged all the emotional constraints that might hinder progress; we then create a very conducive environment for a meeting or discussion. After getting an environment you set time for meeting. Acknowledging someone’s position and title as you discuss shows respect. Ensure that as discussion is going on the environments status is kept that is keeping peace.( Bazerman, 2005)

Negotiation model

There are five negotiating styles which can be used to solve a conflict. There is the I win- you lose which is competing, there is I win- you win which is collaborating, there is I lose- you lose which is avoiding then there is you win- I lose which is accommodating and lastly there is compromising where there is equal share. When it comes to competing and accommodating  there is always  going to be a party that will have to pay the price as the other enjoy a kind of power over them. They always enhance conflict instead of destroying it. They also show some kind of greed that one does not care what happens to the other as long as their needs are met.

For such a conflict as the one in the case study the only way that it could be resolved would not be through compromising. Since at this point they would have to split the differences so that they can end in a half way kind of two positions. It may seem fair but still it has got its negativity which is that the people in the other extreme may tend to receive more of what has been tabled. However collaborating is the way to go. In collaboration there is a memorandum of understanding where you set your differences aside so as to accomplish a certain task. The acknowledgement that a chance and an opportunity can be issued to test a hypothesis such as the case study one gives all parties an equal chance to try out something new and correct if loop holes exist.

For one to actually reach to the point of exercising collaboration there must follow the following guidelines as per the case study. They should first establish a relationship or reestablish a broken relationship. Secondly they will a total win mindset. This is by clearing and setting aside past issues, discuss on the issue at hand, and give a chance for both parties to brainstorm on the issue. Thirdly they will generate options from all sides without rising above the other negatively. This is achieved through being a listener. Forth they should realize and come up with a mutual result. Lastly is concluding on a single outcome and ending the relationship at peace.

 

 

References

Dreu, C. K. W., & Gelfand, M. J. (2008). The psychology of conflict and conflict management in organizations. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

Kolbin, V. V. (2003). Decision making and programming. River Edge, N.J: World Scientific

Bazerman, M. H. (2005). Negotiation, decision making, and conflict management. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.